Once you've driven it for a while, you'd be quietly pleased you chose it.

The Jetta TSI was just as memorable for its performance, eager and responsive almost regardless of what gear you were in or at what engine speed. Not only is it powerful, but it is also significantly lighter than the TDI we tested previously. Even pulling from low speeds in a high gear, it was smooth and tractable, but snick down a gear or two and it was instantly up and at 'em, surging up to speed when joining the motorway, and quick off the mark when feeding into a busy roundabout, or whipping past a slow-moving car on a main road.

All round, it made for a very enjoyable drive, smooth, fast and responsive but not at all thirsty, and we were rather reluctant to hand it back at the end of a test period when - we have to admit - we'd clocked up much more than the usual mileage, such was its usability. This is the kind of car which, while it might not jump out at you from the brochure, once you've driven it for a while, you'd be quietly pleased you chose it.